Sheridan has used Twitter to hit out at critics in the wake of Sunday evening's Bafta TV awards and has not appeared on stage since.

She wrote: "When will u stop bullying? I had the best night in memory of my girl @LisaLynch."

Sheridan Smith as Lisa Lynch in The C Word (BBC)

Sheridan was nominated for best leading actress for her role in The C Word as the late Lisa Lynch, but lost out to Suranne Jones.

Bafta host Graham Norton's opening monologue appeared to contain a joke at Sheridan's expense, when he quipped: "We're all excited for a couple of drinks tonight. Or, as it's known in theatrical circles, a few glasses of 'technical difficulties'."

This came less than two weeks after a performance was cancelled halfway through, which producers said was down to "technical difficulties".

Sheridan Smith arriving at the Baftas (Ian West/PA)

Sheridan had earlier denied speculative reports in the press that the performance of Funny Girl had to be stopped early because she had been drinking.

A spokesman for the actress has said that the allegations are "categorically not true".

Sheridan also responded on Twitter to a story alleging that she had been a sore loser at the Baftas, writing: "Why watch me & not the show????? Weird."